Today is Asalha Puja Day , at 5AM I saw the most magical full moon shining so brightly while I was walking meditation with Tep on the street in front of our house...I felt so peaceful and happy with Buddhas in my heart.

Asalaha Puja, also referred to as "Dhamma Day", falls in the eighth month of the lunar calendar.

The Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodhgaya India on the full moon of Visakha, which is the sixth lunar month. Two months later, on the full moon of Asalha, he delivered the first discourse to the five ascetics of his former association; Kondanna, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama, and Assaji, who later became his first disciples, at the Deer Park near Benares (Varanasi). This epoch making incident marks the establishment of the Buddhist religion.

At the end of the sermon, Kondanna attained awakening and asked for ordination, thus becoming the first Buddhist monk in history. The Order of the Sangha (community of Buddhist monks) was initiated and the Triple Gem; The Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha was complete.

Lord Buddha's First Sermon is The Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta ~ “The Discourse on Turning the Wheel of Truth” The main theme of this first discourse is The Four Noble Truths, namely Suffering, the Cause of Suffering, the End of Suffering, and The Way to the End of Suffering. The Way to the End of Suffering is expanded in The Noble Eightfold Path (The Middle Way) which is: Right View, Right resolve, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. These Four Noble Truths and the way to liberation found in the Noble Eightfold Path are the essence of Lord Buddha's teaching which makes the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta considered to be "Buddhism in a nutshell".

************ Love Buddha's dhamma,yawares/sirikanya

Last edited by yawares on Thu Aug 02, 2012 4:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Bhikkhus, if you develop and make much this one thing, it invariably leads to weariness, cessation, appeasement, realization and extinction. What is it? It is recollecting the Enlightened One. If this single thing is recollected and made much, it invariably leads to weariness, cessation, appeasement, realization and extinction.Anguttara-Nikaya: Ekanipata: Ekadhammapali: PañhamavaggaVSMVMMWBBTBHTWTBTMy Page

Wow..very beautiful!...in your backyard? AND I have a Buddha statue 14" that look just like yours...same kind of robe/position/sit in the lotus flower..except mine has a small lotus candle holder in Buddha's hands...my daughter bought for me...love love it!

It was a good day here, managed to get about an hours meditation at work (for once)only need to remember to bring my cushion in more often

I also listened and chanted along with the [url="http://cittasanto.weebly.com/2/post/2012/04/dhamma-cakkappavattana-sutta-the-setting-the-wheel-of-dhamma-in-motion-discourse-sn5611-vinmv613-vin1613.html"]dhammacakkappavattana sutta - the setting the wheel of dhamma in motion discourse[/url] this morning and am going to do the same tonight before bed after a midnight sit

This offering maybe right, or wrong, but it is one, the other, both, or neither!Blog,-Some Suttas Translated,Ajahn Chah."Others will misconstrue reality due to their personal perspectives, doggedly holding onto and not easily discarding them; We shall not misconstrue reality due to our own personal perspectives, nor doggedly holding onto them, but will discard them easily. This effacement shall be done."

Cittasanto wrote:It was a good day here, managed to get about an hours meditation at work (for once)only need to remember to bring my cushion in more often

I also listened and chanted along with the [url="http://cittasanto.weebly.com/2/post/2012/04/dhamma-cakkappavattana-sutta-the-setting-the-wheel-of-dhamma-in-motion-discourse-sn5611-vinmv613-vin1613.html"]dhammacakkappavattana sutta - the setting the wheel of dhamma in motion discourse[/url] this morning and am going to do the same tonight before bed after a midnight sit

Dear Cittasanto,

Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu ...for your meditation/chanting.I chant in my mind while walking meditation 1 hour early morning/night...Luangta Bua said that we all should chant 'Buddho'whenever we have the chance....so I always BUDDHO when I drive/take care of my garden/cook etc.

I'm celebrating Asalha Puja Day at a temple on Sunday... if I get a chance, I'll share some pictures here.

Metta,Retro.

"When we transcend one level of truth, the new level becomes what is true for us. The previous one is now false. What one experiences may not be what is experienced by the world in general, but that may well be truer. (Ven. Nanananda)

“I hope, Anuruddha, that you are all living in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, viewing each other with kindly eyes.” (MN 31)